JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH & CHASTENING

Response to Chris Faulkner, 17 November 2014

Hi Chris Faulkner, I did not finish my earlier post (had to work). I was talking about the book of Hebrews. Jesus
said, "Take heed HOW you hear" (Lk. 8:18). I cherish and preach the verses you (and Jeff) have quoted, yet not
in the same understanding as I perceive you have. If I am not mistaken, you say that the word of Hebrews is that
if one is born again, he can still draw back from God, be lost, and suffer eternal judgment. This is what I say is not
according to the spirit of Hebrews and of the whole Word of Christ.

Jesus said the parable of the grounds was the MOST important to understand (Mk. 4:13). So you must take the
time to read it again, and compare scripture with scripture, spiritual with spiritual, leaving aside the doctrines of
men to receive the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST from himself. In the said parable, there are four grounds. It is the first
three fruitless grounds (way side, rock, thorns) whose end is to be BURNED (Heb. 6:8). 
- Way side: these people do not understand the word, Satan steals the word, and they cannot believe and be
saved.
- Rocky ground: They are the ones who have tasted of the good word, who hear it with joy, but have no root,
believe FOR A WHILE, and Jesus precisely says that these "IN THE TIME OF TEMPTATION FALL AWAY" (Luke
8:13), when "affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake" (Mk. 4:17)! These are the ones who believe for a
while, but DRAW BACK UNTO PERDITION (Heb. 10:38)! 
- Thorny ground: These are the ones who love the world and are adulterers (James 4), for whom "the CARES of
this world, the deceitfulness of RICHES, and the LUSTS of other things entering in, CHOKE THE WORD, and it
becomes UNFRUITFUL" (Mark 4:19). Thus, they "BRING NO FRUIT TO PERFECTION" (Lk. 8:14): Christ is NOT
formed in them (Galatians 4:19). They have not been born again, for the seed of the Word of God could not find a
profitable ground of faith for them to experience 1 Peter 1:23.

It lines up perfectly. Scripture explains scripture. These 3 categories are not saved and are not born again, have
not been justified by faith (for they haven't any), and have not received the eternal redemption, the eternal
inheritance of glorious salvation (Heb. 9:12,15). 

- The fourth ground (the good ground) is those who have received the Word in their heart, have repented, and
thus bear FRUIT unto God and receive his blessing (Heb. 6:7). These are the righteous by faith who are BORN
AGAIN of the incorruptible seed of God, who have been risen with Christ and made to sit together with him in
heavenly places at the right hand of the Father, who have been translated into the Kingdom of the Beloved Son
and who reign now in life by Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1, Eph. 2:6, Col. 1:13, Rom. 5:17). These are the SAVED,
whose have persevered in the grace of God and who "IN AN HONEST AND GOOD HEART, HAVING HEARD
THE WORD, KEEP IT, AND BRING FORTH FRUIT WITH PATIENCE" (Lk. 8:15).

- These have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb, and have not denied Christ
because of persecution (Rev. 7:14). These are the ones who are being built up as a holy temple in the Lord and
who serve him day and night in the spirit (1 Peter 2:5, Eph. 2:20-22, Rev. 7:15), offering their bodies as living
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
- These are the ones who are virgins (have not defiled themselves with the religious systems of the earth,
especially do not return to the law - Rom. 7:1-6), who follow the Lamb wherever He goes, in the paths of
righteousness (Rev. 14:4, Ps. 23:3), who do not hunger nor thirst for they have eaten of the Bread of Life and
drunk of His Blood (Rev. 7:16, Jn. 6:35+), whom the Lamb feeds and to whom He gives the living waters of His
Spirit (Rev. 7:17, Ps. 23:2, Jn. 7:37-39, Jn. 4:14), and who HAVE OVERCOME BY FAITH in the Son of God (1 Jn
5:4-5) and DO INHERIT the seven promises in Rev. 2-3.

Hebrews is all about putting your faith, confidence and assurance in Jesus and HOLDING on to him, rather than
to the law and its carnal ordinances, in the midst of all persecution. The Hebrew believers had been harshly
persecuted by the Jews, "endured a great fight of afflictions", "were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and
affliction", and had their goods spoiled (Heb. 10:32-34). 

They had the TEMPTATION (compare Lk. 8:13, Mk. 4:17) to DRAW BACK from Christ, to forsake their
confidence in Jesus the new way, and return to the law of Moses. This would be unbelief, not LISTENING to God
who has "in these last days SPOKEN unto us by his Son", Jesus, who is better than the angels, has more glory
than Moses, is greater than the levitical priesthood, ministers in heaven and not on earth, lives forever and has an
unchangeable priesthood; who brought a better hope, a better covenant, and is himself the guarantee of a better
testament; who intercedes forever for those who come to God by him, who is merciful and kind; who took away
the remembrance of sins by his one sacrifice, who purified the heavenly tabernacle, and who makes those who
believe in him perfect for ever by his one offering.

So the apostle through the Holy Spirit admonishes them repeatedly not to "cast away their confidence" (Heb.
10:35, 6:10-12), not to let the things they have heard --the gospel-- slip (Heb 2:1), not to draw back to perdition by
unbelief (Heb. 10:38), not to have "an EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF" (Heb. 3:15; compare Luke 8:13-15, Jn. 16:8-
9), not to harden their heart by UNBELIEF as those who came out of Egypt who thus could not enter the promised
land (Heb. 3:19), but to persevere and have PATIENCE (compare Lk. 8:15), TO BELIEVE IN JESUS (the
labour/work of FAITH) IN ORDER TO ENTER THE REST OF GOD (Heb. 4:3,9,10), and then GO ON TO
PERFECTION by FOLLOWING the NEW WAY, Jesus, who has entered as forerunner beyond the veil TO the
SANCTUARY of the THRONE OF GRACE (Heb. 6:19-20), where WE CAN NOW COME BY HIS BLOOD (Heb.
10:19-22), because He HAS PERFECTED US FOREVER BY HIS ONE OFFERING (Heb. 10:10,14) and
REMOVED THE CONSCIENCE OF SINS (Heb. 10:2, 9:12), thing which was impossible to the law which now is
annulled because of its weakness and un-profitableness (Heb. 10:1-2, 9:9, 7:18-19). 

Whereas the law brought again remembrance of sins every year, Jesus PUT AWAY SIN ONCE FOR ALL at the
end of the world by the sacrifice of himself, and brought ETERNAL SALVATION, ETERNAL REDEMPTION, and
ETERNAL INHERITANCE (Heb. 9:26,12,15)! 

The Holy Spirit concludes the epistle by reiterating to them (and us) that it is good that "the HEART be established
with GRACE", not with the foods and drinks of the law which did not profit those that have been occupied therein
(Heb. 13:9, compare Rom. 14:17); that we have a GREATER ALTAR, of which the levitical priests have no right
to eat (the Cross where Christ our Passover Lamb was sacrificed and roasted for us, Heb. 13:10, cf. 1 Cor. 5:7-8);
and so we must go OUT of the camp of the law religion TO CHRIST, and accept to bear His reproach (cf. 2 Cor.
12:10).

The warning is, to LAY HOLD of the HOPE set before us, and not draw back from Christ, from the word of the
good news that we have heard, as the three unprofitable grounds! This is the spirit of the letter of Hebrews. For
those who receive the Word of Christ in a good ground and with patience persevere in it, they will bear fruit, have
Christ formed in them, and receive the perfection of their conscience, eternal redemption and the eternal
inheritance.

Now for the righteous by faith, the born again, God IMPUTED to us His righteousness, and much more MADE US
His righteousness in Christ. Now according to the terms of the NEW covenant (Heb. 8:7-13, 10:14-18) of which
we have the TESTAMENT (definitive benefit) through the death of Jesus on the cross (Heb. 9:15-16) -- the
TESTAMENT is now in force and given to the heirs which we are (Gal. 4:4-7) -- the LORD does NOT IMPUTE the
iniquity of his sons to them, but is merciful to their transgressions, "merciful to their unrighteousness", "passing
over their transgressions", "remembering no more their sins and iniquities". Jesus our High Priest is full of
compassion on the weak and ignorant (Heb. 5:2, 4:15), is our advocate, and saves us to the uttermost for he
continually makes intercession for us, his blood speaking continually in heaven in our favor (1 Jn. 2:2, Heb. 12:22-
24).

Now in the TESTAMENT OF JESUS, God does not condemn his sons (the righteous) EVEN when they have
sinned: "The wicked watcheth the RIGHTEOUS, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand,
NOR CONDEMN HIM when he is judged." (Ps. 37:32-33). 

When it happens that the righteous sin, the scripture still does NOT equate him to the wicked and sinner: 
- "For a JUST MAN falleth SEVEN TIMES, and RISETH UP AGAIN: but the WICKED shall fall into mischief."
(Proverbs 24:16)
- "The steps of a GOOD MAN are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. THOUGH he fall, he shall
NOT be utterly cast down: for the Lord UPHOLDETH him with his hand." (Psalm 37:23-24).

Do you see it? This is because he is JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, by his trusting in another - Christ - who bears his
iniquities and makes him accepted to God through His blood. ONCE FOR ALL. Of which Jesus is the surety. This
is why it is a BETTER testament. It is faultless, and does not depend on works, but only on the GRACE and
MERCY of God (Rom. 11:6; 9:11,15,16). This is the righteousness by faith, which does not depend of works.
- "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is NOT upright in him: BUT the just shall LIVE BY HIS FAITH." (Habakkuk
2:4)!
- "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
INTERCESSION for us." (Romans 8:33-34). 
God does NOT judge the righteous (who falls) according to the law, for sin is not imputed where there is no law,
and Jesus abolished the law in his flesh and nailed to the cross:
- "by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20)
- "Because the law worketh wrath: for where NO LAW is, there is NO TRANSGRESSION." (Romans 4:15)
- "until the law sin was in the world: but SIN IS NOT IMPUTED WHEN THERE IS NO LAW." (Romans 5:13)
- "But now we are DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in
newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7:6)
- "Having ABOLISHED in his flesh the ENMITY, even the LAW of COMMANDMENTS contained in ordinances; for
to make in himself of twain one new man, so making PEACE" (Ephesians 2:15)
- "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses; BLOTTING OUT the HANDWRITING of ORDINANCES that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Colossians 2:13-14)

Being therefore justified by faith, we HAVE PEACE WITH GOD. Once for all. It is a legal standing, enabled by the
Blood of Jesus and SEALED by the Holy Spirit. The Father chastens his sons so that they may be partakers of his
holiness, precisely because they are his sons! He chastens us, i.e. trains us to yield the peaceable fruit of
righteousness (Heb. 12:11), but does not condemn us with the world/wicked (1 Cor. 11:32).

Sin will still destroy the life of the born again believer that keeps not himself, because he would have opened the
door to the roaring lion which seeks whom to devour, but his spirit is saved once for all. The one who took his
father's wife in 1 Cor. 5 was to be delivered "unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, THAT THE SPIRIT MAY
BE SAVED IN THE DAY OF THE LORD JESUS". He was saved ONCE FOR ALL, and though the sin he
committed would allow Satan to devour him for he did not keep himself (1 Peter 5:8, 1 John 5:18), his spirit was
STILL SAVED (for salvation is a GIFT by GRACE, and "the GIFTS and calling of God are WITHOUT
REPENTANCE"! Rom. 11:29), in as much as Paul exhorts the assembly to restore him to brotherly fellowship in 2
Cor. 2! It is also the type of Lot who was saved as through fire, YET SAVED nonetheless, "the Lord being
MERCIFUL to him" (Genesis 19:15), for he was righteous BY FAITH (2 Pet. 2:8)! "If any man's work shall be
burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (1 Cor. 3:15) So Lot lost all the things
he had wrought and his reward (2 John 1:8), but was himself SAVED anyway because of the mercy of God.

Make sure you rightly divide the Word and do not fall into the deadly trap of mixing grace and law, the new with
the old. It is because we are forgiven much that we can love him much! It is love, grace, compassion, and mercy.
This is what we are to preach. This Word of Grace produces repentance and faith in the hearer by the power of
the Holy Spirit and frees from the power of sin (Rom. 6:14). The preaching of the law (works-based approval
before God) brings bondage and works wrath. The LORD give you understanding in all things. Blessings.

"Therefore LEAVING THE PRINCIPLES of the doctrine of Christ, let us GO ON unto PERFECTION; NOT laying
AGAIN the FOUNDATION of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms,
and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God
permit." (Heb. 6:1-3)

"And being made perfect, he became the AUTHOR of ETERNAL SALVATION unto all them that obey him; Called
of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. OF WHOM we have MANY things to say, and hard to be
uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
For when for the time ye ought to be TEACHERS, ye have need that one teach you AGAIN which be the FIRST
PRINCIPLES of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of MILK, and not of strong meat. For
every one that useth milk is UNSKILLFUL in the WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: for he is a BABE." (Heb. 5:9-13)

It is when you are unskillful in the "Word of RIGHTEOUSNESS" (by faith), the Word of "ETERNAL SALVATION"
by Jesus our High Priest, that you continue to wallow in the "milk" of the "first principles" of the doctrine of Christ:
repentance and faith, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment. These are
together called "the FOUNDATION". We build on this, and go on to PERFECTION as revealed in Heb. 10:10-17:
Jesus makes us perfect once for all by his one sacrifice! And without this gift of righteousness, no one can be in
the Kingdom of God, for the Kingdom of God is RIGHTEOUSNESS, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom.
14:17). To translate us into His Kingdom, God had to make us BE his very righteousness and seal this
righteousness by the Holy Spirit (Col. 1:13, 2 Cor. 5:21, Eph. 1:13).

To preach to born again believers that they are not perfect in Christ and can still be damned eternally is NOT the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, the author of ETERNAL SALVATION, who "according to his mercy SAVED us" (Titus 3:4-
7) and EVER lives to make INTERCESSION for us, being the SURETY of this BETTER testament (Heb. 7:25,22).
That is another gospel, a gospel of TEMPORARY salvation until the born again saint sins the next time, where
righteousness without works is alternatively given as a free gift and then swiftly removed at the first sin, where the
gifts of God are WITH repentance, where the born again saint is NOT made perfect once for all by the Blood of
Jesus, where the saint is not a son but a bastard, where he/she is not eternally redeemed, and where the born
again believer is never saved to the uttermost but is CONDEMNED with the world whenever he/she falls! That is
another gospel! That is the law, righteousness based on works/performance! That is the mixture! I have made it
abundantly clear from the multiple examples in scripture. "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we
shall be saved from wrath THROUGH HIM. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, MUCH MORE, being reconciled, we shall be saved BY HIS LIFE." (Romans 5:9-10). Because
Jesus continues forever, He ever LIVES to make intercession for us, and to save us to the uttermost! It is for the
transgressors that he makes intercession, for the weak and ignorant, being the shepherd and keeper of their
souls! God chastens his sons and does not condemn them with the world! We must line up our understanding of
salvation with the Word of Christ!

In 1 Cor. 5, the man who took his father's wife had NOT repented before Paul by the Holy Spirit said, "To deliver
such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, THAT THE SPIRIT MAY BE SAVED IN THE DAY OF
THE LORD JESUS" (1 Cor. 5:5). And no, he was NOT "cut from Christ"; he was being disciplined, and even if he
never returned to the fellowship but had his BODY destroyed by Satan, his spirit was still saved, because he that
is joined to the LORD is ONE SPIRIT with Him! Born of the Spirit, forever joined to the LORD the Shepherd and
Pastor of his soul, BY THE OPERATION OF GOD THE FATHER: 
- "OF HIM are ye IN Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. 1:30). 
- "No man can come to me, EXCEPT the Father which hath sent me DRAW him: and I will raise him up at the last
day." (Jn 6:44) -> saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

So did Paul in Romans teach the free gift of righteousness apart from works, which is of God without repentance,
to harden the heart? Why do you think it hardens the heart? On the contrary, it ENLARGES the heart to run in the
new and living way of the LORD! It FREES the heart from the conscience of sins (Heb. 10:2, 9:9) and makes the
saved acknowledge every good thing that is in him/her in Christ Jesus (Philemon 1:6)! And it EMPOWERS to live
in victory over sin through the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness by faith! For to whom much is
forgiven, the same will love much! But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.

We are saved by grace through faith, not by grace through virtue! We are saved by grace through faith, and KEPT
still by grace (the power of God, the Holy Spirit) through faith, WITHOUT works (1 Peter 1:5, Romans 3:28, 4:6),
FOR good works that God has prepared beforehand that we should do them for the benefit of all men (Eph. 2:8-
10, Titus 3:8,14). This is the true testimony of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, the warnings to keep our faith in Christ are absolutely indicated and necessary, for there are four types of
grounds (hearts), and people may be in church for years, yet tasting without ever receiving the Word of Christ to
be born again (but Jesus said it will be so... four grounds... some will depart from the faith, being the stony and
thorny grounds... which is normal, for "every plant that the Father has not planted shall be rooted up" [Mt. 15:13];
yet only at the end of the age shall all be made manifest... when the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of
darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts...). Preach warning these, exhorting them to put their
confidence in Christ and receive Him, but watch that you do not preach another gospel, a mixture of grace and
law, of the New Testament and old covenant. Look in the book of Acts for inspiration as to how to preach the
gospel: they never preached the law, but only Christ! Do not preach the law or the way of God's dealing with
people under the old covenant! It is not our role to go try to uproot the evil seed (the tares) by preaching a mixture
of new and old covenant (Mt. 13:24-30). 

Rather preach the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the way of God's dealing with people under the
New Testament, which is apart from works, and only to be received by FAITH! That is the POWER of God unto
salvation, which produces repentance and saving faith in the hearer! For repentance is a GIFT granted by God (2
Tim. 2:25, Acts 11:18). It is only through "PREACHING PEACE BY JESUS CHRIST" (Acts 10:36) that God opens
the heart and grants true repentance and faith to men, as He did to Cornelius and his company while Peter was
preaching peace by Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36-48, 16:14). 

Preach the RICHES OF HIS GRACE (Eph. 1:6-7, 2:7) and of the NEW TESTAMENT so that the heart be
established IN GRACE and grow IN the GRACE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:9, 2 Pet. 3:18)!
Then the Holy Spirit will use the pure Word of Righteousness to do his unique work according to Heb. 8:10-12: 

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I WILL PUT MY
LAWS INTO THEIR MIND, AND WRITE THEM IN THEIR HEARTS: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be
to me a people: And THEY SHALL NOT TEACH every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
KNOW the Lord: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME (ETERNAL LIFE! Jn. 17:3, 1 Jn. 5:10-13), from the least to the
greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no
more."

Blessings to you from the God of peace, in the glorious grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the Blood of the
everlasting covenant! Agapeo!

REVELATION AND JUDE

My dear brother Chris, Revelation is about the things which have been, the things which are, and the things which
shall be (Rev. 1:19). You need to ask the Lord for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him that
He would unlock to you the mysteries in that wondrous book. Revelation 22:14 is not future, it is present.

- "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may ENTER in
THROUGH THE GATES INTO the CITY." (Revelation 22:14)
- But YE ARE COME unto mount Sion, and UNTO THE CITY of the living God, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM,
and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and CHURCH of the FIRSTBORN (plural -
cf. James 1:18, Revelation 14:4), which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the SPIRITS of
JUST men MADE PERFECT, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that
speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24)
- "NOW therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and OF THE
HOUSEHOLD OF GOD; And are built upon the FOUNDATION of the APOSTLES and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:19-20).
- "And the wall of the city had TWELVE FOUNDATIONS, and in them the names of the TWELVE APOSTLES of
the Lamb." (Rev. 21:14). :)

So we who believe and have being made perfect by the blood of sprinkling HAVE COME to the CITY, the
Heavenly Jerusalem, which is the CHURCH of the FIRSTBORN, the MOTHER of us all, the Bride, the wife of the
Lamb whose seed we are born of (Gal. 4:26, 1 Pet. 1:23). :) Present, not future! "YE HAVE COME". How?

- "Blessed are they that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have right to the tree of life..." (Rev. 22:14) =>
What are His commandments?
- "And THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT, That we should BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST
(#1), AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER (#2), as he gave us commandment (cf. 1 Jn 4:21). And he that KEEPETH his
commandments DWELLETH IN HIM, and HE IN HIM. And HEREBY WE KNOW that he abideth in us, BY THE
SPIRIT which he hath given us." (1 John 3:23-24)

So we are blessed because we keep/do His commandments, which are to believe in His Son Jesus Christ
(FAITH) and to love one another (LOVE): "your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints" (Ephesians 1:15,
Colossians 1:4). So we dwell in Him! And He dwells in us: the tree of life, JESUS, is now in us, and we eat of Him
(John 6:54-57,63), and He gives us eternal life NOW:
- "He that BELIEVETH ON the Son of God HATH the witness IN HIMSELF: he that believeth not God hath made
him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God HATH
GIVEN TO US ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is IN HIS SON. He THAT HATH THE SON HATH LIFE; and he that
hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE on the name of the
Son of God; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may BELIEVE on the name of
the Son of God." (1 John 5:10-13)
- "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that BELIEVETH on me HATH everlasting life." (John 8:47)
So we, who believe in Him and love the saints, keep His commandments and thereby do eat of the tree of life
AND have entered through the GATES of the city, the gates of righteousness by faith, the GATE of the LORD
who is JESUS CRUCIFIED!
- "Open to me the GATES of RIGHTEOUSNESS: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: THIS GATE OF
THE LORD, into which the RIGHTEOUS SHALL ENTER. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art
become MY SALVATION. The STONE which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. [...]
God is the Lord, which hath shewed us LIGHT: bind the SACRIFICE (Jesus!) with cords, even unto the horns of
the ALTAR (the CROSS!)." (Psalm 118:19-22,27)
- "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM THE DOOR (gate) of the sheep. I AM THE
DOOR: by me if any man ENTER in, he shall be SAVED, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:7,9).
Also cf. Heb 10:19-20.

So you can see how Rev. 22:14 is present and continuous, as is also Rev. 22:17 -> "And the Spirit and the bride
say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And LET HIM THAT IS ATHIRST COME. And WHOSOEVER
WILL, let him take the WATER OF LIFE FREELY."
- That is John 7:37-39 => "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, IF ANY MAN
THIRST, let him COME UNTO ME, AND DRINK. He that BELIEVETH on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. But this spake he of THE SPIRIT, which they that BELIEVE on him
should RECEIVE: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified." => So to
believe in Jesus is to come to him, and to drink of the water of life is to receive the Spirit. Present. Not future.
Time will fail me to talk of Isaiah 55:1-3 where you have in the same context the everlasting covenant of the
SURE MERCIES of David, and of 1 Corinthians 12:13, and of John 1:4, and of Revelation 7:16-17...

----
Now onto Jude, one of my cherished letters if you remember. How does the epistle start? "Jude, the servant of
Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and PRESERVED in Jesus
Christ, and called" (Jude 1:1). So Jude is talking to the sanctified and PRESERVED IN Jesus Christ and called. 

And warning them of whom? Answer: "ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and
denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" (v.4), "filthy dreamers [who] defile the flesh, despise
dominion, and speak evil of dignities" (v.8), "ungodly sinners" (v.14), "walking after their own lusts" (v.16)... 

"But YE BELOVED" (v.20): Jude puts a sharp distinction between the beloved (v.17) and the "mockers in the last
time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts" of which the apostles had warned them (v.18). And he tells
the preserved beloved to contend AGAINST those men. 

Now, with scripture explaining scripture, what are the characteristics of these ungodly men who have CREPT IN
unawares in the midst of the preserved beloved?

- "sensual, HAVING NOT THE SPIRIT." (v.19) -> "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is NONE of
his." (Romans 8:9)
- "These be they who SEPARATE THEMSELVES" (v.19) -> "They went out from us, but they WERE NOT OF US;
for IF they had been of us, they would NO DOUBT HAVE CONTINUED with us: but they went out, THAT they
might be made MANIFEST that THEY WERE NOT ALL OF US" (1 Jn 2:19), followed immediately in contrast with
"BUT YE HAVE AN UNCTION from the Holy One, and ye know all things." (1 Jn 2:20) - meaning thus that they
who went out from us the saints DID NOT have the unction from the Holy One, the Holy Spirit of promise who
seals those who have truly believed (Eph. 1:15); 
- "feeding themselves WITHOUT FEAR" (v.12) -> "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him...the spirit of
knowledge and of the FEAR of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the FEAR of the Lord "
(Isaiah 11:2-3) -> so, again, they do not have the Spirit who produces the fear of the Lord and makes one of quick
understanding in it;

- "clouds they are WITHOUT WATER, carried about of winds" (v.12) -> the water, as we have seen above,
speaks of the Holy Spirit => again, they do not have the Spirit!
- "trees whose fruit WITHERETH, WITHOUT FRUIT" (v.12) -> "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of
water, that bringeth forth his FRUIT in his season; his leaf also shall NOT WHITHER; and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper." (Psalm 1:3) - so they are not planted by the rivers of water, the Spirit (Revelation 22:1-2, Ezekiel
47:5-7,12) => they do not have the Spirit and cannot have the fruit of the Spirit! + 

- "twice dead" (v.12) -> what is the second death? "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death." (Revelation 20:14). On whom does the second death have power? "BUT the fearful, and
UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
(Revelation 21:8) -> So why are they twice dead? Because they are UNBELIEVING and do not have faith. 

Have they been born again, and died again? No, for Jesus says "I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat
manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may EAT
thereof, and NOT DIE. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man EAT of this bread, he
shall LIVE FOR EVER: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John
6:48-51). How does Jesus deal with his born again sons who sin and err? He forsakes the 99 and SEEKS the one
lost sheep. "The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath NOT given me over unto death." (Psalm 118:18). "But
when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should NOT be condemned with the world." (1
Corinthians 11:32). Now if this is not true, have you as a born-again believer EVER sinned, even once, since you
came to Christ? IF you hold to what you said in the previous posts, THEN you died twice, and it is impossible to
renew you again to repentance, seeing you did by your sin crucify to yourself the Son of God afresh, and put him
to an open shame; you have trodden under foot the Son of God, have made yourself an adversary of God, and
can henceforth only be in a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation! There is no chastening of
the Lord for you, with no condemnation with the world, but only eternal damnation because after you were saved
you counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith you were sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace. 

- "plucked up by the roots" (v.12) -> "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not
planted, shall be rooted up." (Matthew 15:13) -> The Father has NOT planted them, and so they are rooted up!
The Father has NOT planted in the house of God, the Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, mount Zion, the
sanctuary (Psalms 52:8, 92:12-14; Revelation 3:12, 1 Timothy 3:15, Exodus 15:17) and so they cannot endure
and shall certainly be rooted up, having not received the Word in the good ground, but having been sown by the
enemy;

- "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of
darkness for ever." -> "But the WICKED are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire
and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Isaiah 57:20-21); "He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God." (Jn 3:18); "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not
shall be damned." (Mark 16:16)

So what am I saying? These men are the wicked seed that the enemy hath sown, who may even be disguised as
ministers of light, but who do not have the spirit and are not of us the born again saints. As shown in 1 John 2:19,
the born again believers who have the Unction from the Holy One will "NO DOUBT" continue with Christ in faith
which is a gift of God to them by grace! Those who do not continue were NEVER of Christ in the first place; they
were the tares that the enemy sowed while the people slept ("certain men CREPT IN UNAWARES"), not the good
seed that the Master sowed (Matthew 13:25-28). The Father is merciful to His sons, chastens them sore but does
not give them up to spiritual death, because He has given them the SURE MERCIES of David, a BETTER
testament BUILT UPON better promises. And what are these BETTER PROMISES? Here is understanding.
Answer: "I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I
remember no more." (Hebrews 10:16-17, 8:10-12).

"Now unto HIM THAT IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING, and to PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS before the
presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 1:24)
-> It is the Father that is ABLE to keep the born again from falling away! It is him who PRESERVES them in Jesus
Christ! It is Him who gives them the spirit of faith, so that they may believe! Yes, by faith we stand! For it is Him
that is able to make us stand, who is able to make us perfect, who is able to establish, strengthen, settle and
present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy! To him be glory and dominion for ever
and ever. Amen. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. Peace be with you.
So there is a rest remaining today for us, if we LISTEN to Jesus, put our FAITH in him to ENTER the
rest of God. And we must hold our CONFIDENCE (faith) in Christ steadfast till the end, we must not
cast away your confidence which has great recompense of reward, we must not depart from FAITH in
Jesus the new and living way, if we are to ABIDE in the rest of God. We must not draw back unto
perdition, but keep believing to the saving of the soul in Jesus Christ, who is able to save us to the
uttermost if we come to God by Him, for His Blood covers us and He lives forever to make
intercession for us.

So the righteous shall live by FAITH in Christ, the new and living way, not the old. The sin of the
people who perished in the wilderness was that they did not BELIEVE the Word of God, So what is
the sin Jesus said the Holy Ghost will convince the world (starting by the Jews, for they are the ones
Jesus called "the wolrd") of? "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT ON ME" (John 16:8-9). It is
called disobedient to the faith

"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole
world." (1 John 2:2). Jesus has paid for the sins of the whole world! Now those who RESIST HIM and
REFUSE him after having heard the preaching of the Gospel which is the knowledge of the truth (no
love for the truth) are the ADVERSARIES, who shall receive then judgment and fiery indignation, as
Jesus said and as confirmed by the Holy Spirit many times in the epistles:

- "But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of
the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you:
notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto
you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day(of judgment) for Sodom, than for that city." (Luke
10:10-12)

- "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with
his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his
saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed)
in that day." (2 Thess. 1:7-10)
 OBEDIENCE OF FAITH AND PERFECTION

Hi Tom, the obedience the Holy Spirit talks about is the "obedience of faith": 
- "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the
everlasting God, made known to all nations for THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH." (Romans 16:26)
- "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for OBEDIENCE TO THE FAITH among all nations, for his
name"(Romans 1:5)
- "Unto you therefore which BELIEVE (obedient) he is precious: but unto them which be DISOBEDIENT (do not
believe), the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner" (1 Peter 2:7)
- "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great
company of the priests were OBEDIENT TO THE FAITH" (Acts 6:7). 

It is the obedience of the heart, the obedience from the heart to Christ, the turning of the heart to Christ:
- "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but YE HAVE OBEYED FROM THE HEART that form of
doctrine which was delivered you." (Romans 6:17)
- "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their HEART. Nevertheless when IT SHALL TURN
TO THE LORD, the vail shall be taken away." (2 Corinthians 3:15-16)
- vs. "To whom our fathers would not OBEY, but thrust him from them, and IN THEIR HEARTS TURNED BACK
(evil/disobedient heart of unbelief - Heb 3:12) again into Egypt." (Acts 7:39)

So those who believe in Christ with sincere faith are those who obey him, who have obeyed him from the heart,
and are thus the blessed recipients of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9). On these the second death has no power.

On perfection, the LORD does a once-for-all work on the born again believer's HEART, which is the
CONSCIENCE, also called the SPIRIT (Romans 1:9, 8:16, 9:1). We serve God in our conscience, our spirit, our
heart, where Christ dwells (2 Timothy 1:3, John 4:23-24, Ephesians 3:17). When one receives Christ and is born
again of the Spirit, it is the conscience that is perfected by the Blood of Jesus once for all:
- How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,
purge your CONSCIENCE from dead works to SERVE the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

The law could not make the conscience perfect, and so there was need for a better hope which did it:
- "Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not
make him that did the service PERFECT, AS PERTAINING TO THE CONSCIENCE" (Hebrews 9:9; cf. Hebrews
10:1-2)
- "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope DID; by the which we draw nigh unto
God." (Hebrews 7:19)
- "For by one offering he HATH PERFECTED FOR EVER them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14)
- "But ye are come unto mount Sion...to the SPIRITS of JUST men MADE PERFECT" (Hebrews 12:22-23).

Thus by the obedience of faith, the HEART/conscience/spirit receives the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus which
makes it perfect:
- "the Gentiles...should hear the word of the gospel, and BELIEVE (obedience of faith). And God, which knoweth
the hearts...giving them the Holy Ghost...PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH (sprinkling of the blood)." (Acts
15:7-9)
- "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto OBEDIENCE
(faith) and SPRINKLING of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:3). So: obedience of faith => sprinkling =>
perfection.

Now that our heart is perfect (search for "perfect heart" in the scripture), we are joined to the LORD and "one spirit
with Him", and "as he is, so are we in this world" (1 Cor 6:17, 1 Jn 4:17). Our born-again spirit is perfect. So Paul
says "we speak wisdom among them that are PERFECT" (1 Cor 2:6); "that we may present every man PERFECT
IN CHRIST JESUS" (Col. 1:28). That is because now we are his righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).

At this point, the soul (mind, will, desires, emotions, feelings) and the body (the tent) are not yet perfect, and the
LORD (the Spirit) works from the inside out to renew and perfect them:
- "And the very God of peace SANCTIFY YOU WHOLLY; and I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and
BODY be PRESERVED BLAMELESS unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess 5:23)
- "Now the God of peace...MAKE YOU PERFECT IN EVERY GOOD WORK to do his will, WORKING IN YOU
that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
(Hebrews 13:20-21; cf. also 1 Peter 5:10)

So now that we have peace with God by Jesus Christ and are perfect inside, the God of peace TRAINS/chastens
us in righteousness and works in us to perfect us outwardly in every good work, which he has prepared
beforehand for us to do:
- "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS." (2 Timothy 3:17)
- "It is God that GIRDETH me with strength (by His Spirit - Eph. 3:16), and MAKETH MY WAY PERFECT."
(Psalm 18:32)

It is because we are perfect that we are commanded to walk perfect. "This also we wish, even your perfection...be
perfect" (2 Cor 13:9,11). It is because we are risen with Christ and sited together in heavenly places in Him that
we can put to death the members which are on earth. It is because His light is now in us, that we can see light.

So "be perfect" is:

- to work OUT that which God works IN you (Philippians 2:12-13);
- to be built up from a living stone to a PILLAR (1 Pet 2:5, Rev 3:12, 1 Tim 3:15, Gal 2:9);
- to attain unto the perfect maturity of Christ in word and deeds: "And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
KNOWLEDGE of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, unto the MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE
FULLNESS OF CHRIST" (Ephesians 4:13);
- to manifest the light that is within, to let our light shine by our good works (Isaiah 60:1, Matthew 5:14-16).

HOW can we do it? What is the process?

- "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face
BEHOLDING as in a glass the GLORY of the Lord, ARE CHANGED INTO THE SAME IMAGE from glory TO
GLORY, even as BY THE SPIRIT of the Lord." (2 Cor 3:17-18).
- "And be not conformed to this world: but BE ye TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, that ye
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and PERFECT, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

So it is in beholding Him that we are changed! It is in beholding Him that we grow from babes to a perfect man,
the stature of the fullness of Christ. Having begun in the Spirit (in the conscience), we are made perfect (wholly)
by the Spirit, the Lord in us, whom we behold continually. 

And the beholding is in the "looking into the perfect law of liberty", the Word of Christ, which is now written in our
hearts (Heb 8:10-12) and which renews our mind, thus converting=transforming our soul, when we meditate in it
day and night. The beholding changes us from glory to glory, with glorious side-effects on our very bodies, which
start to shine the glory of God and communicate the power of God through miracles and healings, as was seen
with Stephen (Acts 6:8,15), Philip (Acts 8:5-8), Peter (Acts 5:15-16), and Paul (Acts 19:11-12).

Through this beholding process, we ADD TO our FAITH "virtue, and knowledge, and temperance, and patience,
and godliness, and brotherly kindness, and charity (love)", and our faith is thus made perfect in the good works of
love, for faith worketh by love, and LOVE is the bond of perfectness! (2 Peter 1:5-7, James 2:22, Galatians 5:6,
Colossians 2:14). So beginning = Faith, perfection = Love. Faith and Love, again! (see previous post on Rev.
22:14, 1 Jn 3:23-24...).

It is in the good works of love, in deed and truth, that the perfection of our faith is demonstrated (1 John 3:18,
James 2:15-17). That is the context of the exhortation of James 2, as confirmed by the Spirit in Titus 3:8,14 -> "be
careful to maintain good works, good and profitable unto men", that we "be not unfruitful". 

Thus, Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, being rooted and grounded in love, we "grow up into him in all things",
growing in grace, increasing with the increase of God, and thus become exactly like the Master: "The disciple is
not above his master: but EVERY ONE THAT IS PERFECT SHALL BE AS HIS MASTER." (Luke 6:40) 

Then we will do the works of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit:
- "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works
than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (Jn 14:12)
- "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." (1 Cor 4:20)
That will be effectively supping/eating with Jesus, whose food is to do the will of the Father: the works he has
given us to do (Rev. 3:20, Jn. 4:34, Eph 2:10).  

The one final thing all the saints will partake in together is the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23), when this
corruptible shall put on incorruptibility, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, when mortality shall be
swallowed up by life (1 Cor. 15:53-54, 2 Cor. 5:1-4). That is when that which is in part (this imperfect tent) shall be
done away with, when the Lord Jesus "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body" (1 Cor 13:10,12; Philippians 3:20-21). 

This is, summed up, the mind of Christ when he says: "be perfect, as your Father in heaven is also perfect".
Having received the perfection of our conscience, let us be perfect, beholding him and eating with Him! Blessings
in the perfection of Christ!

Hi Tom, here is another example of the obedience of faith:

- "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God HATH GIVEN to them that
OBEY him." (Acts 5:32)

So God has given the Holy Ghost to those who obey him. This obedience was defined by the Spirit through Peter
in Acts 2 when he preached on the day of Pentecost:

- "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ (BELIEVE) for the remission of sins, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE
HOLY GHOST. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:37-39)

So there you have it again. The obedience of faith.

And to second what you said on repentance, Jesus affirms: "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven
over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke
15:7)
For the just have repented, having turned in their heart to the LORD.

Hi Tom, it is not a "different kind of perfection". It is the outworking of the perfection of Christ granted to us by
grace and received by faith. Those who misunderstand it look at it in a slighting way, but without it, you cannot
stand before God, no matter how "obedient" you are. It is the crucified body and blood of Jesus that presents us
holy and unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of God. 

It is this perfection of the heart that makes us obedient children of God. It is faith that saves us, not "stop sinning",
which is impossible to the one who is not born again. The sinner sins because he is a sinner; the righteous does
righteousness because he is righteous. There is a nature change when we get born again. 

"whether the obedience comes from faith or not, obedience is still obedience." -> No, the obedience which comes
not of faith is NOT accepted by God; it is works of iniquity, filthy rags.
- "But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that
stumblingstone..." (Romans 9:31-32)
- "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf;
and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6)

Paul sums it up clearly in Philippians 3:6-9:

- "touching the righteousness which is in the law, BLAMELESS. BUT what things were gain to me, those I
counted LOSS for Christ."
- "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but DUNG, that I may win Christ,
- "And be found in him, NOT having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, BUT that which is THROUGH
THE FAITH OF CHRIST, the righteousness which is of God by faith".

And the obedience of faith can do something radically different from, and even contrary to, the law: according to
the law or the letter (written in the Bible!) it is disobedience, but according to the Spirit, it is obedience! It is the
case of David who "entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to
eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests" (Matthew 12:3-4).

So, no, definitely NO to "whether the obedience comes from faith or not, obedience is still obedience." No. 1 Peter
2:7-8. It is the obedience to the faith, and only the obedience of faith, that God accepts.

A revelation: the command of God to "be perfect" is a creative word which comes built in with the power of the
Spirit to make us effectively walk perfect. It is a quickening word to be received by revelation for it to produce its
effect in us. It is a principle illustrated by Ezekiel and Daniel among others in the scripture:
- "And he said unto me, Son of man, STAND UPON THY FEET, and I will speak unto thee. AND THE SPIRIT
ENTERED INTO ME WHEN HE SPAKE UNTO ME, AND SET ME UPON MY FEET, that I heard him that spake
unto me." (Ezekiel 2:1-2)
- "as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came
again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, And SAID, O man greatly
beloved, fear not: PEACE be unto thee, BE STRONG, YEA, BE STRONG. And WHEN HE HAD SPOKEN UNTO
ME, I WAS STRENGTHENED, and said, Let my lord speak; FOR THOU HAST STRENGTHENED ME." (Daniel
10:17-19)

So it is God who does it in us! When the Father says, "Be perfect", it is the Spirit in us, when we receive by faith
the word of his power, that makes us perfect. See? It is still by grace through faith. And this comes by HEARING!
- "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the HEARING OF FAITH?"
- "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith" (Galatians 3:2,5)

So this obedience of faith comes by the hearing of faith (Romans 10:17), and by hearing this word "Be perfect!",
the Father ministers to us the Spirit who is the enabling agent of his perfection. So grow in the grace. Rest upon
Christ. You are the sheep, He is the Shepherd. Hear his quickening voice. And ask, "Father, do it in me." He shall
"make you perfect in every good work to do His will", through the blood of His everlasting covenant, "working in
you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ" (Hebrews 13:20-21). It is of Him that you are in
Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:30). He is the author and perfecter/finisher of your faith (Heb 12:2)!